Decel World
by aalliiccee
Summary: The exiled girl has been cornered by a mysterious blue hunter, and she's down to her last trump-card: a Demon Sword she thought she'd never have to unseal. (Alternate Universe)
1. Black Phantom

"Shion!" The heavily-armoured axeman calls out to me right before taking the heavy impact on his legend-class greataxe: «Geronimo».

—but that didn't even last a moment.

"Guha—!" His lifeless avatar flew back ten metres into the surrounding forest.

"Diax16! Shit!"

The wingless dragon slowly brings its massive tail back to prepare for the next strike.

What now?

«Chromaflare»: keeper of the seven secret swords. The enemy we came here for was patched in with the update three days ago, but it hasn't been defeated even once. Of course, there are other monsters with higher stats, but those are in raid missions that allow multiple parties.

To put it simply, this «Hidden Light Dragon Subjugation» is currently Archsky Revive's most difficult quest. Despite coming from different guilds, some of the top players eventually took the initiative to team up, but that six-man party has nearly been wiped out.

…and the boss still has a quarter of its health.

Shit…what now!?

Thanks to everyone's sacrifices, I've gotten used to its timing and pattern, but I didn't put any stat points in Health, and my armour is mostly magic resistance…

Think…think…

The dragon's eyes shifted slightly to my side.

Huh? It's as if—

I turn to my side and see a black phantom dashing out of the forest.

What the—!?

The phantom collides with the dragon's tail with a metallic sound, bounces off, and lands about three metres beside me.

…

«Totally black» was my only impression. Everything was hidden under a black cloak except for the two black longswords he was holding.

"Who are you?"

"More than that, how about finishing him?" He points to Chromaflare whose HP wasn't even scratched by his surprise attack.

Wait…that voice…another girl?

"Unfortunately, we can't win."

"Ho—? You seem sure."

"Even a legend-class greatsword like my «Clarent» can't cut off the body parts of a wingless dragon. Only a greataxe can get rid of that tail."

"You make it sound like the tail is the only problem."

"Just look at it. It's bigger than its body, and faster than we can see. Even with max agility, you can probably dodge it while advancing at most only once. It would just instantly hit you from behind."

I recall my party members' deaths. The tail alone killed all five of ASR's top players. Multiple players can aggro the tail enough for others to damage the main body, but that strategy wasn't enough even for us to beat it.

"It's decided then." The phantom girl lifts her identical swords.

"Huh? Hey, weren't you listening?"

"I was. You just need me to draw the tail's attention right?"

"I already told you it can't be done…"

"It can. Just watch."

"*sigh* Okay okay I don't care anymore. Let's do this, phantom girl."

I can't see her face, but I feel like I can see her smiling under that hood.

She takes a moment to breathe in the virtual air.

"!"

—before soundlessly dashing toward the giant.

What? No signal?

I catch up and maintain a distance of one step behind her. The dragon raises its colossal tail to the side—

—it's now or never.

My temporary partner looks up at the enemy. What's this? I can feel her confidence from here. Maybe we can win this!

"«Physical Burst»"

Huh?

**PART2**

"«Link Out»" I whisper weakly, and the mountain village around me dissolves into the familiar bright lights and then into the slightly less familiar white room.

"…"

I stare at the poster on the ceiling, a screenshot of my global net avatar, for a while before shifting my eyes down to the time displayed at the bottom of my interface—it's just a little past nine. I take a deep breath without being able to lift my body from the fatigue…

"Two hours...huh?" My voice, no, my entire body lacks strength even after a short dive of only two hours because of the intense battle with the wingless dragon that lasted almost since the beginning, but…

At the end…what was that?

The phantom girl kept muttering, no, it was definitely a command, but that wasn't any magic I knew of even at the highest level. Every time she said that, she could dodge the dragon's godspeed attack…or almost every time. In the end, she was overwhelmed from a dead angle, and facing Archsky Rising's peerless boss alone, I joined my comrades in less than thirty seconds.

I tried to look for that phantom girl in the village, but even my original party had already linked out.

She didn't even say her name…

"After all…just what was all that?" I say with the last of my energy.

Right…I still have school tomorrow…

Without noticing, my eyes stayed closed.


	2. Brain Burst

"So…just plug in the values, and—"

All the students' faces lit-up. To an outsider, nothing really changed, but everyone connected to the school's local net would hear an alarm at certain times, and just now was for noon break which holds a special place in the hearts of all the students—I think.

The old math teacher was still saying something, but I didn't understand any of it even with the silver neurolinker around my neck directly sending his voice into my brain.

Even I almost didn't notice since when some people started putting their tables together.

That's because, perfectly synchronised with the alarm, a bright notification filled my display along with a short pop sound, and the image of everything in the classroom went out of focus.

Any files sent by the teacher appear virtually on the, also virtual, blackboard, so this was the real deal: genuine mail, and since nobody in this school is connected to the global net…or at least that's how it should be, it was almost definitely from another Umesato High student. Normally, this would be breaking school rules, but whoever sent it was had either perfect luck or perfect timing.

Mailing between students is of course forbidden during class time, so for an honour student like me, this is really a rare event!

…

…I'm very sorry. It's a lie. Rather than being an honour student, there really just isn't anyone who would mail me…

Otherwise, it's probably not that unusual for other students. That's why…

…the big shock was inside that message.

"Do you want to «Accelerate» further?

If you are interested, then come find me in the lounge."

The sender was left blank, but I have just a bit of confidence in my guess…

PART2

Beside the cafeteria is a lightly fenced-off raised half-circle less than 20 metres across with round tables instead of long ones and some reclining chairs, usually for diving, that everyone calls the «Lounge». I'd like to think Umesato High's administration was only thinking about aesthetics, but certain groups of second and third-years just naturally took it as their own.

Even if I say that, it's not like most of the ordinary students pay much attention. It's more like we'd be bothered if the usual people weren't there.

That said—

—I wonder what they think of this?

"…"

Because of that message, I'm standing beside one of the decorative plants in the little space between the white fences. A first year like me would usually be escorted out nicely, but it's already late into the second term, so everyone's expected to know…but…

…what's with this atmosphere!?

I'm not just paranoid. They're all totally looking this way!

Hey hey…this is too much pressure…in some ways, it's worse than a secret base of yankees…

I had just taken a single step in when a striking group of five students surrounding the table at the deepest part of the lounge near the window turned their heads towards me.

That's…the student council?

From here, I can't really hear what they're saying, but a second-year girl with fluffy-looking hair seemed to hear something from behind her and her expression turned to both surprised and confused.

The other four seemed to hear as well and turned to look behind them, but they all suddenly stepped aside.

"Ah…"

I called out weakly without noticing when I saw the person sitting at the table.

A single second-year girl held an old hardcover from the 21st century. Her piano black hair fell all the way down to her waist when she stood. Her stockings and even the shirt under her blazer were jet-black. All that black only made her white face, brown eyes, and red lips seem to shine even more brightly.

She waved me over with a slight smile, and I walked as fast as I could without falling over from the pressure around me that's three, no, ten times what it was when I got here.

"You came—«Kensei»." A voice both smooth and bright flowed from her slightly red lips like a clear stream.

"After all, it was you huh."

Umesato High's most famous student: «Kuroyukihime»…-senpai.

I've never actually seen our beautiful vice-president from up close like this, but she's really on another level. Since middle school, it's always been that way.

…like an untouchable lotus floating in the water.

She reached into her blazer's pocket and pulled out a long black cable with plugs on both ends. She casually lifts her hair to reveal an unsurprisingly shiny black neurolinker and inserts one of the plugs.

Eh?

"Eh!?"

The other students, who were secretly watching since the beginning, soundlessly reacted the same way I did.

«Direct Connect»

While neurolinkers usually communicate wirelessly through whatever network they're connected to, they can also be connected directly by cable which lifts many restrictions. That is to say, you don't normally cable with someone you don't really trust or even know.

"Even if we're both girls, I—"

She soundlessly increased her pressure before I could finish, so it feels like I can't escape.

Aahh whatever happens happens! I don't care anymore!

I took the plug she's holding out to me and stick it in my own neurolinker.

«WARNING: Wired Connection»

A bright red pop-up fills my display and I quickly swipe it away. What's left is the sharp image of Kuroyukihime in front of me and around us: the sudden mass of blurs that used to be the lounge and everyone else in it.

That same clear voice resounded fully in my brain, but her lips stayed closed.

"Sorry to make you come all the way here Kensei-dono. Ah, do you know how to use this?"

"Okay, you proved your identity, so please, enough with the jokes…I'd rather that name not catch on in school at least…" I replied through thought speech.

"Still…I never expected our vice-president-sama to be playing something like Archsky Revive."

"Well, that's not completely accurate. I only played to get your attention."

…

"Why?"

"I'm going to send you a certain application. If the installation is successful, then I'll tell you everything."

"…"

I couldn't say anything. She smiled a little and raised her hand. With only minimal movement from her wrist, she slid something invisible towards me.

A short pop sound accompanied a small black prompt.

«Run ? OK/Cancel»

I looked up at her bright eyes for an explanation. Her expression suddenly became more serious.

"This is a unique program that can destroy your current reality and build a new one in a shape you can't imagine."

"What is that…that's some explanation…"

"…"

"Will this «new reality» of senpai even be something I'd wish for?"

Her expression suddenly went to slight surprise but then, strangely, satisfied.

"Yes…for you? At least, I think so."

"Accepting something so suspicious…of course, senpai understands the situation?"

"…" Without saying anything, she simply locked her eyes into mine.

I sigh with my real voice and quickly tap «OK».

"Ah." Kuroyukihime's expression turns to complete surprise as she involuntarily let her voice out.

Suddenly, my entire display erupts in flames.

"!"

My upper body almost jerked back a little before realizing it was just a virtual effect. The mass of flames only lasted a couple seconds before forming some words in English—

"Brain…Burst?"

A title? This 20th century style reminds me of really old games that I've only ever seen two or three times.

"…"

Even for the neurolinker, it took about 30 seconds to install, and when the progress bar reached 100%, the flames, again, formed words—

«WELCOME TO THE ACCELERATED WORLD»

There was a little explosion effect, but even after about 10 seconds, nothing happened.

I looked to Kuroyukihime for answer, and she threw back a different kind of smile.

"There were no problems with the installation. I wasn't mistaken about your aptitude."

"Huh? What's that? Aptitude? Why?"

She made a wry smile at my barrage of questions, but I couldn't understand the meaning.

"Successfully installing «Brain Burst» requires a certain level of reaction time. That's what those flames were checking. If you don't pass, then the title won't even appear. It's a little bit surprising though…it took me about two minutes of doubt whether to trust this suspicious program as you said. I had some confidence in the speech I prepared to convince you, but it seems my effort was wasted."

"Ah…sorry about that, but what's this? Nothing's h—"

"Well, don't be in such a hurry. You'll need some preparation. I'll explain the details later…why, we have plenty of time."

I looked down at the time display.

"Lunch half-ended a while ago…"

Her smile suddenly became a bit more relaxed.

"Hmm yes…see? That's enough."

I don't really see how…

* * *

><p>Gomen, minna...it took a while ne...<p> 


	3. Steel Owl

That night, the dream I had was, without a doubt, the worst that I ever remembered having.

The room was blindingly bright and hot, and the air was so heavy it took me a while to notice I was chained down to the floor. Then I noticed…this wasn't air, it was water…I was trapped in an aquarium…

It was too bright to see, but I felt like I could hear a crowd around me…

"No! Don't look!"

I struggled under the chains and heavy water, getting more desperate…

*guh*…*grh*…

My movements became more frantic, and I tried to block out the voices getting louder.

The pain of muscle and bone being crushed and torn from the restraints and my resistance made me more desperate.

"I am—free!"

I screamed at everything around me.

"Kill—I'll kill all of you! I'll rip you apart!"

My head was filled with pain, and I couldn't tell where it was coming from.

"Leave me alone…get me out of here…"

I felt numb everywhere.

"—Is that your wish?"

"…"

I opened my eyes with a sigh.

From the bright light coming through the window, I could see that it was 6:30AM on the clock.

"Twelve hours…I've been sleeping that long?"

I could feel my entire body full of sweat, and the remaining feeling of the nightmare made my head hurt. Even then, I couldn't remember what that dream was about anymore…

I vaguely remembered senpai's last words to me yesterday.

"Don't remove the NeuroLinker overnight," she said…it can't be that this has some relation to that dream?

After I idly thought about that while taking a shower, I changed into my school uniform, and ate my breakfast in the kitchen alone. I put the dishes in the dishwasher and knocked on my mother's bedroom door before going to school.

"...I am going."

Quietly saying that to the dim room, I heard a cracking voice say something unclear from the bed. She seemed to have drunk a lot last night.

While I waited for my mother to operate her Neuro Linker to charge my own with 500 yen, she sleepily mumbled with an irritated voice.

"Your Linker isn't connected."

Oh no, I put my hand to my neck and connected my Neuro Linker to the Global Net. Soon, with a *chariin* sound effect, my virtual money balance increased.

"…"

Without saying anything, I softly closed the bedroom door, put on my shoes at the entrance, and left my home.

I took the elevator to the first floor without saying hello to residents I did not remember. I went through the front entrance.

The automatic door closed, and I stepped into the building's front courtyard…just two seconds.

*bashiiiii* That sound reverberated through my whole brain, and my vision wavered.

All the colours were drained and replaced by a translucent blue that spread as far as I could see. The surrounding courtyard, people walking on the street, and my own body as well, all became a monochrome blue.

At that moment, everything stopped.

What!?

While I held my breath, in front of my eyes in a familiar burning font, was another line of English.

[HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER!]

Where had I seen these words before…the words burnt out before I could remember, and at the top of my view, something even stranger appeared.

At the centre, a number that read [1800], and on both sides of that, blue bars extended…under those were small thin green bars.

Finally, filling up the middle of my view, were flame letters—[FIGHT!]

The number became 1799.

In order to get a handle on the situation, I desperately looked around and soon noticed something.

The breezy October morning had disappeared without a trace, but the surrounding area was still within my memory…I was still in front of my home. The two lane street on the left side, the convenience store and office buildings on the side of the street, and if I turn around, I would see the high-rise mansion that I just left standing in the darkness.

However, the group of cars filling the streets heading to Shinjuku, and the students going to school that filled the walkways, had both disappeared. Also, the street was cracked and was littered with potholes, the guardrail and signs were bent, and the glass on all the buildings were conspicuously broken.

At the intersection a bit further, rubble was piled up like a barricade, and flames were flickering from a huge dome like something was burning inside. The scares of destruction included my home building…concrete pillars were collapsed, the outer wall had a huge hole, and other distorted likenesses.

The world's colour also, instead of monochrome blue, was fully-coloured…but in a distorted dark and fiery palette.

Turning around, I walked a few steps and looked at the entrance from between the rubble.

Then, my eyes widened in amazement. The building's interior looked like an object textured with polygons in a game. No, not looks like…it is exactly that.

Even so, I've never seen such a detailed virtual space. Each small rock on the ground was made with impossible detail.

If it's like this…then my body…I looked down.

I thought I was going to see my familiar Global Net avatar, but—

"...W-what is this…"

Amazed, I involuntarily leaked my voice…an unfamiliar metallic sound.

What came into my view was a body like polished steel plates under metal sheets shaped like a cape and hands tipped with claws. It was like a robot or a completely armoured person.

I hurriedly put my hand to my face, but instead of a face, my fingers scratched something hard like a mask. Taking a moment to look around, I saw a cracked window on the front wall of a building on the other side of the street from my home, and with light *cachin**cachin* footsteps, I ran there.

The shape reflected by the large glass was a truly full-body metallic robot. The body was slender and taller than I actually was by 20cm with a feminine mold, the eyes were large unmoving bulbs glowing faintly, and there was even fine metallic hair coming down to the shoulders. To say it in one sentence, it was an unusual female robot.

At least make the skirt look less sharp, and these claws are too scary…

While complaining to the unknown avatar designer at that time, behind my reflection in the glass, on the other side of the street, a few vaguely humanoid shadows could be seen.

Surprised, I crouched my metallic body and turned around. Unknown since when they've been there, three figures stood under a destroyed convenience store. Since they were surrounded by darkness, I could only see their silhouette, but each of them seemed to be larger than me.

The shadows seemed to be talking to each other, so I strained my hearing and tried to listen.

"...Somehow, a strangely frail-looking girl."

"I don't remember her name…a newbie?"

"But she is a metal colour. Maybe she has some ability?"

Those guys—are not NPCs.

I felt that distinctly. That manner and speech pattern…without a doubt, they are human and not programs.

If that's the case…then they might know the situation. First, let's ask those three about the circumstances. After deciding that, I cautiously stepped out onto the road and got as far as the white centre line.

Suddenly, I felt someone else looking at me. I stopped my feet and turned that way.

There…more than three people. Unknown where they appeared from…on roof of ruined buildings, on top of rubble, and all around were strange silhouettes watching me. However, they didn't look like they wanted to get closer, just—yes, a feeling of waiting for something.

But…what?

Moving view back to the middle of the road. The counter at the top of my view has gone down to 1620. The bars on the sides hadn't changed.

"…"

No…I didn't notice it until now, but under the green bars were lines of small English.

The left side read «Steel Owl», and the right side was «Ash Roller».

This screen structure…it felt old.

I felt like the answer was somewhere at the back of my mind I couldn't reach.

While standing there searching through my memory, I jumped as an explosion suddenly sounded behind me.

"...!?"

I almost lost balance while turning around, and down the road in front of my eyes was a large shadowy silhouette.

It was a bike…though not the familiar electric motor type…illegal for over twenty years, an internal combustion engine at the centre from which a *doddoddo* heavy vibration sound came.

The handles extending from the front were ridiculously long, and the tire it connected to was thicker than some cars'. From the rugged grey tread, a strong burnt odour drifted over.

Looking up behind the curved handle, my gaze fearfully captured the figure of the rider leaning back on top of the leather seat.

Full body covered in a muddy spiked leather, two large boots, and both arms crossed at the chest…the head, too, was covered in a muddy helmet with a flashy skull mask.

From inside, a rough cracking voice sounded. I could only listen while dumbfounded.

"Long time no see «End of Century» stage—luckyyy~."

From one of his crossed hands, he raised an index finger moving side to side.

"You, as an opponent, are a shiny newbie—mega luckyyy!"

The skeleton rider lifted his right boot and put it on the handle bar skillfully. At that moment, *dobobaroruoooon* a mechanical roar sounded, and I jumped up again.

No matter how I sees it, this guy isn't a friend. Rather, if my guess is right, this is a «Fighting Stage» and this rider is—

"…Sh-shit…"

Inching back, I raised my arms and watched his movements.

Uwaa…it's a good thing nobody else is attacking, or at least, I hope it stays that way…

With my robot's slender legs screeching, I ran desperately.

"Whahahaha! Run away, run away! –Wait, what!?"

Another engine roar and sounds of tires burning rubber continued. Less than two seconds later, the bike accelerated rapidly down the road towards me.

Most likely, I only have one chance…

At less than twenty metres apart, I spun to the side close to a building. The bike ran past me before lying on its side to turn around.

Now!

"Uuooo!"

The rider was truly skilled to be able to stop his bike that quickly, and even though I was running at full sprint, the bike had already recovered from the turn—

—but it still needed to accelerate.

"What the!?"

There!

I shifted to the side a little with my arms raised and sunk my claws in the rider's chest as the bike passed by with not enough acceleration to escape.

Because of the speed of our collision, my hand had totally sunk into the rider's chest, and he fell of the bike which fell and skidded on the side of the road.

"You shiny bastard!" to my surprise, the skeleton rider was still moving and struggled to escape, but I got too confident, pulled my hand out, and let him get back up.

"Hehehe…that's why newbies are the best—giga luckyyy! Enhance Armament! «Night Rocker»!"

I stepped back when a bright light flashed under the half-dead rider.

"It can't be—!"

The light dissipated, and the load roar of an engine filled the surroundings. 


End file.
